A “network on chip” or “NOC” refers to a communication subsystem, or network, that is implemented within an integrated circuit (IC) or chip. The NOC is a packet-switched network that facilitates communication between different circuits such as intellectual property cores, processors, and other circuitry implemented in the IC. Typically, NOCs are implemented using a fixed network topology such as mesh or torus. In the case of an application specific IC (ASIC), for example, the masters and slaves of the NOC are known prior to implementation of the ASIC. Thus, the NOC is custom built to suit the requirements of the application to be implemented within the ASIC.